Damper blade linkage



y 19, 1966 w. F. RIDENOUR 3,261,373

DAMPER BLADE LINKAGE Filed. Aug. 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WAYNE E Ewe/Vow July 19, 1966 w. F. RIDENOUR 3,261,373

DAMPER BLADE LINKAGE Filed Aug. 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z0 3 1 {0 M ,Lfi a INVENTOR. WAYNE F R/DEA/OUE BY 77mm KaZema/nwv, f /ihm Md MM A rroeA/Eys.

United States Patent 3,261,373 DAMPER BLADE LINKAGE Wayne F. Ridenour, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Ventfabrics Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 299,365 3 Claims. (Cl. 137601) This invention relates to damper blade linkage apparatus for correlating the pivotal motion of adjacent damper blades, and more particularly to improvements in such linkages whereby they may be mounted with ease on damper blades of different sizes.

Dampers for the control of the passage of air through ducts and the like customarily include a frame with a plurality of damper blades pivotally mounted therein. In a preferred type, called an opposed blade damper, the blades pivot in such a manner that if one blade pivots in one direction, the blades adjacent that blade will pivot in the opposite direction. Therefore, if the blades are consecutively numbered, the even numbered blades will rotate in one direction and the odd numbered blades will rotate in the other direction.

It is desirable that all the damper blades in a damper open and close simultaneously when any one of the blades is opened or closed. Generally, two types of linkages are provided. A first type is used to link all the even numbered blades for simultaneous operation and all the odd numbered blades are similarly linked by this first type of linkage for simultaneous operation. damper linkage, the type to which this invention relates, interconnects adjacent odd and even blades to correlate the pivot-a1 movement of all the blades of the damper. This type of linkage customarily includes brackets on adjacent blades that are interconnected by an adjustable linkage rod.

In the past when it was desired to provide two adjacent blades with a linkage assembly, it was necessary to determine by careful and time consuming measurement the proper positioning for the brackets on the blades and the proper points on the brackets to which the ends of the linkage rod should be attached. These positions and points diifer for difierent size blades, so that a linkage adapted for use with blades of one size would not function with blades of another size. Thus, the measurements necessary for installation are different for blades of different sizes. Also, linkage brackets for use with wide damper blades may be too long for use with narrow blades. Consequently, additional measurement was required to determine the proper length for the brackets when used with dampers having narrow damper blades.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved damper blade linkage which can readily be used on damper blades of different sizes without the necessity of measurement.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved damper blade linkage which includes indicia thereon which facilitate assembly and eliminate the need for measurement in installing the linkage.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved damper blade linkage including brackets having markings thereon which indicate the proper position for the brackets on blades of different sizes, and additional markings thereon which indicate the proper points on the brackets to which the connecting rod should be attached for different size damper blades.

Still another object of the invent-ion is to provide an improved damper blade linkage including brackets having markings thereon which indicate the proper length for the brackets when used with dampers having narrow blades.

Another object of the invention is to provide damper An opposed 3,261,373 Patented July 19, 1966 operating hardware including operating linkage members which are constructed so as to facilitate on the job assembly by a sheetmetal worker who fabricates and installs the damper.

In brief, the damper of the present invention includes connecting linkages interconnecting all the odd numbered blades and a like connecting linkage interconnecting all the even numbered blades and a further opposed damper linkage interconnecting adjacent blades by means of which all the blades are interconnected for simultaneous operation. The opposed linkage mechanism connects adjacent blades in accordance with the present invention and includes operating brackets extending outwardly from each blade which are marked for ready attachment to the adjacent blades. The brackets are also marked so that they may be pivotally interconnected by an adjustable threaded linkage rod. The use of the markings greatly facilitates on the job installation of the opposed damper linkage on dampers having blades of different sizes.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a damper for air ducts and the like equipped with an opposed damper lin age in accordance with this invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are cross sectional view of the damper of FIG. 1, with parts omitted, taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the high bracket before installation.

FIG. 6 is a different perspective view of the bracket of FIG. 5.

\FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the low bracket before installation.

Having reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a damper 10 for use in an air duct or the like having a rectangular frame 11 and damper blades 12a, 12b, 12c, and 120.. Although a damper I aving four damper blades is shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the number of damper blades could be varied without changing the operation of the damper.

The damper blades 12 are pivotally mounted in frame 11 by means of straps 14 suitably secured to the damper blades 12 and adapted to receive inwardly extending pins 16 which are pivotally secured to the frame 11. One of the pins 16a extends some distance from the frame for rotation by some suitable control apparatus, not shown.

Each damper blade 12 is formed with a central longitudinally extending V-sh-aped groove 18 adapted to receive the pins 16, and with a V-shaped flange 20 at each edge. When the damper 10 is in a closed position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flanges 20 at the edges of any two adjacent damper blades 12 fit against each other in interlocking relation.

Alternate damper blades 12a and are linked together with suitable connecting rod linkage assembly 22a, so that they will rotate together, as can be seen in FIGS. 24. Similarly, alternate damper blades 12b and 12d are linked 'with the connecting rod linkage assembly 2217. It is to be understood that if additional damper blades were added, the connecting rod linkage assemblies 22 would extend further along the damper and would link the two sets of alternate blades. Thus, it can be seen that when any one damper blade 12 is rotated, the other damper blades in the same alternate set will be rotated simultaneously.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, there are two sets of alternate damper blades, which in the illustrated embodiment consist of the first set in 120-120, and the second set 12b-12d. It should be understood that every blade in a set will rotate in the same direction, while 3 the sets rotate in opposite directions. Therefore, it will be understood that any two adjacent damper blade-s will rotate in opposite directions.

Adjacent damper blades 12b and 12a are linked together for simultaneous operation by means of an opposed damper linkage 24 which includes a high bracket 26 mounted on the damper blade 12b, a low bracket 28 mounted on the damper blade 12a, and an adjustable threaded linkage rod 39. It should be understood that linkage assembly 24 may be mounted on any two adjacent damper blades. In the illustrated embodiment mounting holes 31 are provided, but it should be understood that the brackets 26 and 28 may be mounted in any suitable fashion.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, when the opposed damper linkage 24 is mounted on two adjacent blades, such as 12b and 12a, it is important that it be mounted on the correct side of the damper. When the damper is open, as in FIG. 4, it can be seen that the adjacent blades have opposing faces. When the damper is closed, these opposing faces will be on the same side of the damper due to the fact that the adjacent blades rotate in opposite directions. Therefore, the opposed damper linkage 24 should be mounted on this side of the damper.

High bracket 26 includes a short mounting flange 26a adapted to be suitably secured to damper blade 12b, and an outwardly extending flange 26b. Low bracket 28 includes a mounting flange 28a adapted to be secured to damper blade 12a and an outwardly extending flange 28b. For example, these brackets may be mounted through holes 31 in the mounting flanges. The adjustable threaded trod member 30 is mounted between bracket 26 and bracket 28 by clevis members 32 and 34 which effectively constitute part of the rod, and pins 36 and 38 which extend through holes in the flanges 26b and 28b.

The damper blades 12 for any particular damper are of the same size. The distance between blade centers may vary for different dampers ranging, for example, between 5 and 12 inches.

According to the present invention, installation of the opposed damper linkage in a damper having a given distance between blade centers is greatly facilitated. Installation is simplified by the provision of markings on the mounting flanges of the high and low brackets which indicate the proper position of the brackets on the damper. Thus, a mark 44 consisting of a line or other suitable indication is placed on mounting flange 26a of the high bracket 26. When the high bracket is to be installed on a damper blade, the mark 44 is positioned at the center of the blade, i.e., over the center of groove 18.

Provision is also made to simplify the installation of low bracket 28 on the damper blade 12a. For this purpose there are provided a series of spaced markings 46 along the mounting flange 28a of low bracket 28. Numerals =48 are provided adjacent markings 46 to indicate the relation between the markings and the distance between blade centers. When the distance is 9 inches, for example, the mark for 9 inches is positioned over the center of the blade.

In addition, provision is made to facilitate the installation of the adjustable threaded linkage rod 30. As discussed, the rod is pivotally attached to holes in the outward flanges of the brackets. Hole 42, which is associated with the low bracket 28, is already properly positioned by the manufacturer (FIG. 7), while the hole in the high bracket 26 is adapted to be provided at the time of installation. To facilitate the proper placement of this hole, marks 50 are spaced along the outward flange 26b of high bracket 26, and numerals 52 are provided adjacent the marks to indicate the correspondence between the marks 50 and the distance between blade centers.

It has been found that if the opposed damper linkage 24 is used on blades having centers less than 7 inches apart, brackets 26 and 28 are too long in that their length interferes with proper operation. Thus, to further simplify installation of the assembly, marks 54 and 56 are provided on brackets 26 and 28 to indicate where the brackets should be shortened if used with narrow damper blades.

The following dimensions refer to the illustrated embodiment, and are given by way of illustration only. Thus, they are not intended to -limit the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the distance between blade centers is 9 inches.

Low bracket 28 has an overall length of 4 /2 inches. The markings 46 on the mounting flange 28a of the bracket are equally spaced /3 inch apart and A2 inch from the plane of the outward flange 28b. The marking for a distance between blade centers of 12 inches is spaced inch from one end of flange 28a. Hole 42, which is made by the manufacturer in flange 28b, is placed /2 inch from the plane of flange 28a and inch from the end of flange 2812. Mark 56 is placed on flange 28b 1 inch from the end of flange 2817.

High bracket 26 has a height of 5 inches and its mounting flange 26a is Fla-inch wide. Mark 44 is positioned in the center of this flange, /2 inch from the plane of the outward flange 26b. Marks 5%) are equally spaced along flange 26b, being /3 inch apart, and inch from the edge of the flange. The mark for a distance between blade centers of 5 inches is placed 1% inches from the plane of flange 26a, While mark 54 is placed 3 /2 inches from that plane.

Applicants invention eliminates entirely the process of careful and time consuming measurement in positioning the high and low brackets on adjacent blades and in a taching the linkage rod to the brackets.

Thus, fabrication of the damper by sheetmetal workers and others who make the dampers is greatly facilitated. Generally, the hardware including the various brackets, etc., are supplied to the sheetmetal worker. The latter fabricates the frame and damper blades and then assembles the damper, including the opposed damper linkage. This he is able to do in a simple and easy manner according to the invention. It is necessary only to secure the high and low brackets to the blades wit-h the appropriate marks at the center of each blade, the appropriate mark for the low bracket being determined by the distance between centers. This is followed by mounting the threaded adjustable linkage rod on the brackets. One end of the rod is attached to the hole in the low bracket and the other end is attached to a hole in the high bracket at the appropriate point for the particular distance between blade centers.

Thus, it can be seen that the installation of a damper in an air duct is greatly simplified by the provision of marks on the brackets in accordance with the invention The drawing and the specification presented herewith constitute a full disclosure of my invention in such clear and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention. Various alternatives, equivalents, and modifications may be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defiined by the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An operating mechanism for a plurality of opposed pivotally mounted damper blades including a first connecting rod assembly connecting alternate damper blades, a second connecting rod assembly connecting the other alternate blades, an opposed damper likage operatively connecting adjacent blades, said linkage including a high bracket secured to one blade, a.loW bracket secured to the other blade, an adjustable threaded linkage rod interconnecting the two brackets, said high bracket having a mark for locating the bracket centrally of the damper blade upon which it is mounted, said high bracket also having an arm extending outwardly of the blade at a right angle and having a series of marks at spaced intervals thereon corresponding to distance between blade centers, said low bracket having a mounting flange with a series of marks corresponding to distance between blade centers and adapted for attachment to a blade with the mark for the particular distance between blade centers located relative to the blade axis, said low bracket also having a second flange extending at a right angle from the mounting flange, and said adjustable threaded linkage rod being pivotally connected to the second flange at the end of the low bracket adjacent the high bracket and to the outwardly projecting arm of the high bracket at the mark corresponding to the distance between blade centers.

2. An opposed damper linkage assembly for operatively connecting adjacent pivotally mounted damper blades comp-rising a high bracket secured to one blade, 9. low bracket secured to the adjacent blade, and a linkage rod interconnecting the two brackets, said high bracket having a mark for locating the bracket on the damper blade upon which it is mounted, said high bracket also having an outwardly extending arm having marks thereon corresponding to distance between blade center, said low bracket having marks corresponding to distance between blade centers for locating the bracket relative to the axis of the damper blade upon which it is mounted, and said linkage rod being pivotally connected to the end of the low bracket adjacent the high bracket and to the outwardly extending arm of the high bracket at the mark corresponding to the distance between blade centers.

3. An opposed damper linkage assembly for operative- 1y connecting adjacent pivotally mounted damper blades comprising a high bracket secured to one blade, a low bracket secured to the adjacent blade, and an adjustable threaded linkage rod interconnecting the two brackets, said high bracket having a mark for locating the bracket cent-rally of the damper blade upon which it is mounted, said high bracket also having an arm extending outwardly of the blade having a series of marks at equally spaced intervals thereon corresponding to distance between blade centers, said low barcket having a series of marks at equally spaced intervals corresponding to distance between blade centers and adapted for attachment to a blade with the mark for the particular distance between blade centers located relative to the blade axis, said adjustable threaded linkage rod being pivotally connected to the end of the low bracket adjacent the high bracket and to the outwardly projecting arm of the high bracket at the mark corresponding to the distance between blade centers.

References Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,450,640 4/ 1923 Norman 24859 2,045,307 6/ 1936 OConnell 24859 2,111,357 3/1938 Cornell 248-59 2,142,616 1/1939 Otto 98-110 3,017,899 1/ 1962 Goldsmith 137601 WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

D. LAMBERT, Assistant Examiner. 

2. AN OPPOSED DAMPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FOR OPERTIVELY CONECTING ADJACENT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED DAMPER BLADES COMPRISING A HIGH BRACKET SECURED TO ONE BLADE, A LOW BRACKET SECURED TO THE ADJACENT BLADE, AND A LINKAGE ROD INTERCONNECTING THE TWO BRACKETS, SAID HIGH BRACKET HAVING A MARK FOR LOCATING THE BRACKET ON THE DAMPER BLADE UPON WHICH IT IS MOUNTED, SAID HIGH BRACKET ALSO HAVING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ARM HAVING MARKS THEREON CORRESPONDING TO DISTANCE BETWEEN BLADE CENTER, SAID LOW BRACKET HAVING MARKS CORRESPONDING TO DISTANCE BETWEEN 